Harvest is over and now we're putting the orchards to bed for the winter. We couldn't have asked for a finer finish to this year's orchard season. Optimal fall weather has served us well here on the slopes of Kittitas Valley's Manastash Ridge. Cool nights and warm days have helped produce sweet, juicy, crisp apples and lovely, luscious pears. Order one of the November Specials and enjoy the season's best at 10% off the price of 20 d'Anjou Pears or 10% off the price of 20 Jonagold Apples. This is a great deal -- gift box of 20 d'Anjou Pears or Jonagold Apples for $17.95 (+ shipping). Or order a 20-count gift box of Braeburn Apples, Fuji Apples or Bartlett Pears for $19.95 (+ shipping). The Hosui, a really scrumptious Asian Pear, is still sale priced!

Remind me, is a Fruit From Washington feature. If you're not ready to order a gift box of fine fruit or other gift item from our shop right now, but there are holidays, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries or other events coming up that you will be ordering for... Remind Me lets you place a wake up call to be delivered to the e-mail address you provide. Better yet, place a pre-order now and your gift box of Fine Fruit (or Classic Redwood Furniture from FruitFromWashington.com) will be sent to arrive when you desire it (or as near as circumstances allow). See our Customer Satisfaction and Order Fulfillment policies and read our other customers' comments on FruitFromWashington.com's great products and service!

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We've turned back the clocks for daylight savings and we've begun to think about the upcoming holidays; both sure signs of approaching winter. First on the autumnal holiday progression, at least in this corner of the world, is Thanksgiving. If you haven't made Thanksgiving dinner plans yet, take a look at our new Holiday Menus page and let it serve as your inspiration. How about a 1944 Seabee Navy Holiday Dinner? If that thought makes you holler, "S.O.S." you might find a vegetarian Thanksgiving is more your style, or would you like to prepare a meal that recreates a Medieval or Renaissance Feast? You know you're a traditionalist if you're thinking, "I don't think so, save me the drumstick." How about some Traditional Turkey Dressing with that? We have added other Holiday Recipes, too!

It must be long, dark evenings typical of early winter, rather than too much time on our hands, that put us in a mood to muse about the social customs related to food and drink. Thanksgiving, the giving of thanks, specifically graces and blessings, come in a variety of forms, from an array of cultures.

Then there are toasts. Toasts made in a casual fashion between friends and acquaintances are often short and sweet or sometimes sassy. Cheers! Prost! Santé! Yet toasts are also very solemn moments that occur during formal events. The wedding toast to the bride and groom is such a moment as is the formal exchange of toasts between heads of state. We were intrigued.
Graces • Blessings • Toasts • Formal Toasts • Curses

Have you visited our Virtual Gallery of Still Life and Landscapes Lately?

Courtesy of FruitFromWashington.com